.png)
Permaculture /
Ecological Garden
6 -Week Course
Deepen your relationship with nature
Learn about ecological principles and permaculture design
Understand soil, plants, micro-organisms and the relationships between them
Hone your mindfulness, observation and listening skills
Connect with like-minded people
ABOUT
People everywhere are feeling a calling to return to the land, to take care of the Earth, to reconnect. It is one of the deepest callings of our time as we face each day the growing awareness of the ecological and psychological crises that are resulting from our unsustainableble lifestyles and systems.
This course is an answer to that calling. It is an invitation to journey in community to deepen a relationship with the Earth by understanding the principles of ecology and by developing a sensitivity to the natural world.
The goal of this course is to build the foundational knowledge and skills to grow a garden that is in harmony with nature, an ecological garden. An ecological garden is resilient, abundant, sustainable and beautiful. It can provide an abundance of food, medicine, beauty and enjoyment for us and for the non-human beings that participate in it. These skills include a knowledge of ecological science, mindful nature connection skills and healthy community skills.
WHO IS IT FOR?
If one or more these resonate with you, then this course is for you:
-
I want to do more to care for the Earth but I don’t know what to do or where to start
-
I want to connect more with nature and better understand ecology
-
I want to have my hands in soil and work with the land
-
I want more meaningful wholesome community gatherings
-
I want to understand what permaculture is
-
I have done a permaculture course before but I want to deepen my understanding
-
I want to feel more confident in growing food and caring for plants
THREE PILLARS
The course is based on 3 pillars:
-
The science of ecology: basic ecological principles and permaculture design principles. Soils, plants, animals, micro organisms, and the relationships between them.
-
The art of nature connection: building a personal intimacy with the greater-then-human world
-
Community: learning and sharing as a group
Each session will have 3 components:
-
A lesson on some aspect of ecology/ permaculture.
-
Some hands on activities working in an actual ecological garden project
-
A group sharing/discussion
WHEN
The course will run once a week for 6 weeks from April 2nd - May 7th.
Sessions will be on Sundays from 4PM-7PM
WHERE
The course will be based in a young ecological garden site in the valley of Santa Cruz.
COST
This course is valued at $1200 TTD. This can be a monetary exchange or a skill exchange of equivalent value. Please note that if you would like to do a skill exchange we will have to discuss further to work out an agreement that feels fair and comfortable for everyone. We honour that it is often a sensitive matter when it comes to financial means. We believe in transparent, honest conversation to work out something that honours a persons means as well as respects the value of this work.
To register for this course you will be asked to make a deposit of a $600, half the cost of this course. If you are doing a skill exchange, we will have to discuss a fair agreement that honours the commitment to the course.
THE FACILITATOR
My name is Richard Solis. 13 years ago I made a commitment to follow the calling of my heart to reconnect with the Earth and seek more wholesome ways of living. That has led me to spending countless hours in the forest, observing, listening and connecting, it has led me to the study and practice of regenerative farming through permaculture, syntropic farming and other related systems. I did my first PDC in 2011 at Wa Samaki Ecosystems and I did a Permaculture teacher training course in India in 2017. I had the privilege of staying and working at Navdanya, the farm of ecological activist Vandana Shiva. And over the years I have had the oppurtunity to create my own gardens and experiment, pay attention, explore, try things, fail and learn a lot.
I believe we are at a moment in history where we are beginning to transition from our old ways and systems based on domination and control into a more holistic world based on reverence, respect and care.
I am also a musician and poet and share the feelings of this calling through my art. www.solmanmusic.com
